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Four C-USA Softball Teams Earn NCAA Bids
NCAA Softball Bids

May 13, 2012

IRVING, Texas - Four Conference USA teams have been selected to the 2012 NCAA Division I Softball Tournament, marking the third straight season that the league has sent multiple teams to the NCAA Tournament. C-USA champion Tulsa is joined by UAB, Houston and UCF in the 64-team field. Regionals will take place May 18-20 and will be hosted by the top 16 national seeds.

NCAA Tournament Bracket

Making its fourth NCAA Tournament in five years, Tulsa (41-12) will head to the Norman Regional and square off against Oregon State(34-21) in the opening game. Host and No. 4 national seed Oklahoma (45-8) will play Lehigh (40-17) in the other opening day matchup. Games will be played at the OU Softball Complex.

UAB earned its third-straight NCAA Championships at-large bid and will travel to the Knoxville Regional to face Virginia Tech in the opening game Friday at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium. Miami (Ohio) University (40-18) and host No. 7 seed Tennessee (46-10) will join UAB (47-20) and Virginia Tech (40-19) in the Knoxville Regional.

Houston will return to the Austin Regional after winning the same regional a season ago. The Cougars (34-22) will play Auburn (33-21) in the opening round. Texas (42-10) is the host and No. 6 national seed and will play Northwestern (27-27) in the first round. Games will be played at Red and Charline McCombs Field.

UCF earned its first NCAA bid since 2008 and will play in the Gainesville Regional, which features four teams from the state of Florida. The Knights will open NCAA play against USF (39-17), while host and No. 5 national seed Florida (46-11) will play Florida Gulf Coast (37-22). Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium will serve as the host venue for the Regional.

This is the fourth time in C-USA history that at least four teams have earned NCAA bids in the same season. In 2011, five C-USA teams earned NCAA Tournament spots and won a combined 11 games, including a Regional championship.